In August, we got a first glimpse of AMD Radeon-branded DDR3 memory modules sold at select stores in Japan. At the time, AMD denied plans of directly selling AMD-branded memory to customers, and that it was determining if the sale of AMD Radeon-branded memory through channel partners is a viable opportunity. Today there is concrete evidence that AMD wants to go directly to customers with their DDR3 memory products, and has partnered with two well known companies in its effort.

Presenting a more polished AMD memory module lineup. The first ones (pictured in the link above) looked not much more than bare, generic-looking DDR3 modules with Radeon logo stickers. The new ones look better designed for customers, since good product design pays heavily in the retail channel. The new modules use black colored PCBs, metal heatspreaders, and red colored full-length stickers. A confirmation that these products are headed to the retail channel is the box. OEMs don't buy memory modules in boxes, they buy them in trays. AMD has a nice-looking product box design with a carbon-fiber pattern and appropriate branding.

What does AMD-branded memory bring to the table that most other brands don't? To begin with, AMD claims that they will be rock-stable with AMD processor platforms. Next, they lack Intel XMP profiles, and instead use either high-spec JEDEC profiles, or AMD Black Edition profiles to achieve high DRAM speeds. AMD memory modules are designed to work with AMD Overdrive software to allow fine-tuning of various memory parameters such as clock speeds, voltages, and timings. Also featured are high-speed data transfer based on 8n-prefetch pipelined architecture, Bi-directional differential data strobe (DQS and /DQS), DLL aligns DQ and DQS transitions with CK transitions, and Internal self-calibration.

AMD is partnering two rather familiar brands. First is Patriot Memory, we suspect that Patriot Memory is the OEM behind AMD branded modules. Patriot is a reputed memory vendor among enthusiasts, and can deliver in volumes. The other partner is VisionTek. A well-known AMD Radeon graphics card vendor, VisionTek has the distributor base needed to market these modules. VisionTek could even sub-brand these modules.

Yes but ram makes money as well they might just be stepping out to make a little more money to have revenue to make better CPU's.

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The way it comes off to me is "We aren't doing so well in CPU sales so we are going to enter the system memory market on the side and see if we cant bring in some much needed profit that you guys think we really need (cause we really do),but we deny because we're too embarrassed to admit it."

I have to admit a red and black only AMD motherboard would be nice looking.
Could imagine at this time they would not have the financial backing to start such a venture while releasing competitive motherboards.

amd, im just letting you know that i dont buy memory with heatspreaders....

more than likely they want to take advantage of the AMD fans who would buy a sapphire board, a radeon card and a bulldozer cpu, also, branching off into more areas of the tech industry would look more appealing to shareholders

BEMP? i know a friend who has a mid range asus mobo with 880G chipset, he uses a BE CPU, and kingston value memory. he said he can easily set memory clocks (even 1600 and 1866) withough changing reference clock. is that BEMP?

let's just hope it lives up to the ads.
Maybe it's imprtant to reshape the image that's been broken the past few years(apart fro GPU side)
I'm a fanboy, and am not ashamed for it.
If AMD fail to maintain a competition, we'll come into an era where processor are with unreasonably price tag thanks to monopoly.

The way it comes off to me is "We aren't doing so well in CPU sales so we are going to enter the system memory market on the side and see if we cant bring in some much needed profit that you guys think we really need (cause we really do),but we deny because we're too embarrassed to admit it."

amd, im just letting you know that i dont buy memory with heatspreaders....

more than likely they want to take advantage of the AMD fans who would buy a sapphire board, a radeon card and a bulldozer cpu, also, branching off into more areas of the tech industry would look more appealing to shareholders

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it comes in 3 lines. the first two have optional heatspreaders. the third doesnt because it needs to radiate more heat

If the ram market was really that profitable. OCZ wouldn't have left it. imo they will make money but not in the quantities they are thinking it would

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that may be true but AMD will have synergy with this move. many people will hopefully have less compatibility issues with AMD motherboards and cpus and if for no other reason people will buy this because of an all-AMD theme or just for the consistent color theme. this should attract many consumers rather quickly